Project by

About this project

This is the story of the oldest band in the
world and their greatest adventure yet.

Aged between 65 and 87,
they come from Shanghai and they have been performing together every night since 1980. Each of the musicians has been playing jazz since the 1940's. They have seen off the Japanese occupation, the Nationalists, not to mention the
Communists and their Cultural Revolution. Then came the opening up of Chinese society
and, finally, turbo capitalism - Chinese style. And throughout it all, the band played on. Jazz stands for
individuality, creativity and spontaneity, in a way that no other musical style does. In China these
qualities were regarded with suspicion for many years. Against all odds, these
legendary jazz granddaddies never lost their love of music. They kept it alive and it, in turn, kept them alive.

But one big challenge remains. This film follows the band as they leave China to win
the hearts of the audience at the world's biggest indoor jazz festival, the North Sea Jazz Festival in
Rotterdam…

We have finished principal photography on the film. The film was shot over a period of almost one year from June 2011 until April 2012.

We are currently in the process of editing.

We expect the editing to be finished
by October 2012, so a launch in early 2013 is a very realistic goal, meaning you will see the results of your support very soon.

The beauty of documentary filmmaking is the opportunity it affords us to
dip into real life with both feet. This entails taking risks that are sometimes hard to foresee – just like real life.

In our case, we did make budgetary
provisions for music rights, but ultimately have had to deal with Chinese musicians
humming Elvis tunes and improvising American big band classics to a much wider
extent than we expected. These scenes are often beautiful and touching and we would love to keep them in the film. This will
only be possible if we acquire the full musical rights.

Should we exceed our funding goal, we
will donate 10% of that money to the music school which Mr. Zhang - the pianist in the Peace Old Jazz Band- runs. We are also keen to make the film available to the widest possible audience. Exceeding our funding goal will help us to produce a 35mm negative and prints, something which is still necessary to ensure that the film can be screened in countries with less
developed digital cinema environments.

We might additionally spend a few bucks on an English language course
for Uli and an acting class for Helge to produce an even classier
Kickstarter Video next time...

It's really easy to support a Kickstarter project. Choose the reward you would like to receive and follow the
instructions. If we reach our funding target the reward is yours. All shipping costs are included.

Our
extra-special-once-in-a-lifetime-reward is a private performance of the
Peace Hotel Old Jazz Band exclusively for
you and your friends in Shanghai which includes a dinner for you with
the band. This might be a great reward for corporations with branches in
Shanghai. Invite all your clients and customers.(Food and beverages in
the hotel are not included.) Due to the seniority of some band members,
it is possible that some
positions in the band may not be filled by the band members who are seen
in the film.

As an immediate Thank-you gesture, everybody who
supports our
project can receive a Fortune Cookie. We have prepared seven Cookies for
you of which each contains a short video clip that is only available
through this platform. We picked our favorite clips, to give you a
better idea of the material we have

Born 1968 in Schwerin,
East Germany (GDR), has made four feature documentaries and numerous TV works.

He is best known for his film HAVANNA, MI
AMOR (which won the German Film Award for Best Documentary in 2002) which tells the story of a tragic triangle of people with broken down TV sets, broken hearts and a new telenovela just about to start. Shot in Havana, the film became a festival darling
and box office success in Germany and other territories. In the US, the film was
distributed by 7th Arts Releasing.

Uli also directed COMRADES IN DREAMS (which
was presented at the Berlinale, Pusan and Sundance in 2007) about an ensemble
of film projectionists in different countries such as the U.S. (Wyoming),
Burkina Faso, India and North Korea. In the US, the film was shown on the
Sundance Channel and is represented by Films Transit.

Co-Founder of Flying Moon Filmproduktion. Since 1999 Helge has produced and co-produced more than 20 feature films and feature documentaries. He produced all of Uli Gaulke’s theatrical films and this is their 5th collaboration. Furthermore he
produced the most successful documentary in German cinemas in 2007 with 1,4 Mio USD box office: "Full Metal Village" (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Full-Metal-Village/105749779458654?ref=ts&sk=info) by Korean filmmaker Sung-Hyung Cho about the German village of Wacken which annually hosts the biggest heavy metal festival in the world. He also produced SILENT
WATERS by Sabiha Sumar which won 14 international awards including the Golden
Leopard in Locarno and he co-produced SUMMER
PALACE by Lou Ye, which premiered in Competition in Cannes in 2006. More recently
he produced the new film by Julia Loktev THE LONELIEST PLANET, starring Gael
Garcia Bernal and Hani Furstenberg. The film is a co-production with NY based Parts & Labor and will be released in the 2nd half of
2012 by IFC/Sundance Selects.

JuRi
Film, Production Partner

Since
1996 JuRiFilm, Inc. provides services in the TV and Motion Picture Industry in
Southern California. The company offers HD and
SD Video and Film Crews as well as camera equipment rentals and line-producing services.

We cater to foreign and domestic film or television productions, independent or
documentary filmmakers as well as commercial productions and corporate clients. Our
two offices are located in Los Angeles (just between Marina del Rey and Culver
City), California and Berlin, Germany.

Based in Berlin, Ari is an American classical composer and
conductor working in the experimental/ electronic/ new music scene in Germany. While primarily known for his work with the ground breaking dance
club-orchestral mash-up, Redux Orchestra, he has also
worked with many other artists most notably Einstürzende Neubauten. Other collaborators
include Dominique Gonzalez Foaerster, Anri Sala, Tino Sehgal, La Fura dels Baus, The Residents, raumlabor.berlin, Ricardo Villalobos, Staatsoper Dresden, Staatskapelle Berlin, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum New York, Morton Subotnick and The Orb.

Just as with his previous work on Uli Gaulke's "Pink Taxi", Ari's music will add a new layer to the film and support its tonality. So the jazz remains the preserve of the band whilst the score keeps the film in the present time and prevents us from drifting into nostalgia.

Sure. Nice idea. Think of all the people you know who love jazz or simply love to watch documentaries! If you would like to support the film but give the
reward to someone as a gift, simply go through the normal process of pledging in your name. For billing purposes, this action must be in your name.
After our deadline, we will send a message to you on Kickstarter. (It will be
forwarded to the email address you provided) Please reply, including all the details of the person you'd like to receive the reward. We will then make sure they receive it!

FAQ

Rewards

Pledge $1 or more

Check out our "Thank you" fortune cookie site and get cookie #1. Exclusively on Kickstarter. Please use the link under the THE REWARDS section.

Estimated delivery:Aug 2012

You selected

Pledge $5 or more

2 backers

With each update we will grant you access to a new "Thank You" fortune cookie and show you some of our favorite scenes from the film.

Estimated delivery:Aug 2012

You selected

Pledge $10 or more

24 backers

Find your name under the "Thanks" section in the end roller of the film.

Estimated delivery:Aug 2012

You selected

Pledge $19 or more

10 backers

A DVD OF "COMRADES IN DREAMS", Uli Gaulke's Sundance premiered documentary (for more information on the film, please see the Variety review at the end of our text.)

Estimated delivery:Sep 2012

You selected

Pledge $19 or more

8 backers

BE ONE OF THE FIRST TO WATCH THE FILM! You'll receive a personalized HD download of the full documentary. (Yes, the full documentary!) This .MP4 file may be conveniently played on your computers, mobile devices, iPads, iPods, etc. You'll be the first to download the documentary on the day of its world premiere! (for contractual reasons, this option is not available in Germany and Switzerland.)

Estimated delivery:Mar 2013

You selected

Pledge $29 or more

18 backers

A DVD OF "PEACE OLD JAZZ BAND", signed by Uli Gaulke, one month before release in your territory.

Estimated delivery:May 2013

You selected

Pledge $49 or more

24 backers
Limited (476 left of 500)

AN EXCLUSIVE LIMITED KICKSTARTER-EDITION DVD OF "PEACE OLD JAZZ BAND" signed by the members of the band.
Available one month before release of the film in your territory along with a handwritten "thank you" card from Uli Gaulke.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

You selected

Pledge $79 or more

3 backers

THE SUPER SUPPORTER PACKAGE!
All of the $49 stage AND a DVD box set of Uli Gaulke's "Comrades in Dreams", "Havanna, mi amor" and "Pink Taxi".

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

You selected

Pledge $100 or more

14 backers

JOIN US AT THE PREMIERE!
We will reserve two tickets for the national premiere for you, wherever you are (travel & accomodation not included).
PLUS the
EXCLUSIVE LIMITED KICKSTARTER-EDITION DVD OF "PEACE OLD JAZZ BAND" signed by the members of the band. Available one month before release of the film in your territory along with a handwritten "thank you" card by Uli Gaulke.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

You selected

Pledge $500 or more

2 backers
Limited (3 left of 5)

GET YOUR OWN MOBILE PHONE RINGTONE.
Receive one of five unique ring tones created specially from the film's score.
PLUS THE EXCLUSIVE LIMITED KICKSTARTER-EDITION DVD OF "PEACE OLD JAZZ BAND" signed by the members of the band. Available one month before release of the film in your territory along with a handwritten "thank you" card from Uli Gaulke.

Estimated delivery:Feb 2013

You selected

Pledge $500 or more

0 backers

TALK TO US!
An exclusive 30min Video-Skype Q&A with director Uli Gaulke and producer Helge Albers including a live trumpet performance by Uli Gaulke ;)
PLUS THE EXCLUSIVE LIMITED KICKSTARTER-EDITION DVD OF "PEACE OLD JAZZ BAND" signed by the members of the band. Available one month before release of the film in your territory along with a handwritten "thank you" card from Uli Gaulke.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

You selected

Pledge $1,000 or more

0 backers

BECOME ASSOCIATE PRODUCER. Be listed as Associate Producer on the end roller of the film and in all official data bases such as imdb.com.
Plus all the rewards from the $500 stage.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

You selected

Pledge $2,500 or more

0 backers

BECOME ASSOCIATE PRODUCER. Be listed as Associate Producer on the front credits of the film and in all official data bases such as imdb.com.
Plus all the rewards from the $500 stage.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

You selected

Pledge $5,000 or more

2 backers

BECOME ASSOCIATE PRODUCER AND JOIN US AT THE WORLD PREMIERE!
You will receive a front credit as "Associate Producer" of the film, we will bill your logo (if you have one) in the front credits and on the poster of the film and we will fly you to the world premiere of the film (economy class, accommodation for two nights). Plus all the rewards from the $500 stage.

Estimated delivery:Jun 2013

You selected

Pledge $10,000

1 backer
All gone!

PROBABLY THE MOST EXCITING KICKSTARTER REWARD EVER!
Become Executive Producer on the film and enjoy a private concert for you and your friends with the oldest band in the world and meet & greet them later. Stay at the Shanghai Peace Hotel -the finest address in town- for two nights (one double room or two single rooms for two nights) and simply enjoy it!!! (travel not included)
For further information, please see the THE REWARDS section at the end of our project description text.

Estimated delivery:Oct 2012

Funding period

Jul 2, 2012 - Aug 4, 2012
(33 days)

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